


Percy, Percy

by DoreyG



Category: Frey & McGray Series - Oscar de Muriel
Genre: 5+1 Things, First Kiss, First Time, Getting Together, M/M, Nicknames, Non-Explicit Sex, POV First Person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-17
Updated: 2019-11-17
Packaged: 2021-02-07 19:13:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21463108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoreyG/pseuds/DoreyG
Summary: "Percy!" He sang, actuallydancinginto our little room (as far as you could call such a depressing, dank space a room) at the bottom of the stairs with a fierce expression of glee on his face. "Percy, Percy, Give me your answer, do! I'm half crazy..."[5 times Frey disliked his nickname, +1 time he definitely didn't.]
Relationships: Ian Frey/Adolphus "Nine-Nails" McGray
Comments: 7
Kudos: 42





	Percy, Percy

1\. 

In the weeks since he'd discovered my middle name McGray somehow, against all logical odds, managed to reach a new level of annoying.

"Percy!" He sang, actually _dancing_ into our little room (as far as you could call such a depressing, dank space a room) at the bottom of the stairs with a fierce expression of glee on his face. "Percy, Percy, Give me your answer, do! I'm half crazy..."

I gritted my teeth, laid the pencil that I'd been using to record the last few particulars of the Irving case very deliberately down on my desk and glowered up at him. "McGray-"

He came to a halt, all at once and in a way that would've been faintly alarming if I hadn't been quite so irritated. His grin was big and toothy, and lit up his entire face. "_Percy_."

"For heaven's sake," I snapped, and sent him my most disapproving glare. That grin was distracting in ways that I was reluctant to examine, and so I solved the issue by ignoring it entirely. "It's been a week since you discovered my _perfectly normal_ middle name. When are you going to stop going on about it like some hyperactive child?"

McGray only continued to grin. Placed both of his big hands on the desk, the four-fingered one only a touch more gingerly, and leaned forward until he was smugly staring right into my face. "When ye admit the existence of the supernatural."

_Agh_.

"You are aware that I could simply _pretend_ to believe in the supernatural, yes?" I asked crisply, folding my arms firmly over my chest and continuing to glare. "Say some dishonest words about banshees or kelpies or silly men running around in sheets, and then continue to undermine you at every turn?"

"Ye've just given the game away there, _Percy_." McGray rolled his eyes. As ever, his habitual derision provoked a weary sigh from my direction. "but more importantly, I ken ye wouldn't do that. Ye've got too much of a sense of honour in that thick head of yours to start lying to me now."

I blinked at him, suddenly uncertain. Underneath all of the judgement, underneath all the arrogance, underneath all of that scorn... He almost seemed _fond_. "Was that a somewhat obscure attempt at a compliment, McGray?"

"Aye," He said more simply, surprising me when I'd expected him to huff and puff and insult me to kingdom come. "A very mild one, so don't let it go to yer _thick_ head, Percy."

"Well," I said, and blinked again. I hated to admit it, I still hate to admit it now, but a reluctant warm feeling was starting to rise up in my chest. "Does that mean that I can perhaps prevail on you, one day, to stop calling me Percy?"

He considered this for a long moment, mockingly. Lifted his good hand to stroke his chin, scrunched up his forehead as if he was facing some grand internal struggle... "No."

_Agh_.

\--

2\. 

I paced the room. Back and forth, back and forth. I'd been doing it for about an hour and all I had worked out was the rough dimensions of the space. Seven paces to the settee in the rough centre of the room, eight to the opposite wall if I walked from the right. Eight paces to the settee, seven to the opposite wall if I went from the left.

"Percy," McGray said from that settee, having been watching me through narrowed eyes for at least the last hour.

"For god's sake," I said irritably, and finally came to a halt. I propped my hands on my hips, and glared at the man with all the heartfelt outrage I could muster. "It's been well over a month, Nine-Nails. _When_ will you stop calling me that?"

"I told ye, Percy," he said, appearing irritatingly calm for all that he was usually a whirlwind of violent emotion. "When ye admit-"

"The supernatural is _not_ real. When will you use your alarmingly small brain and actually _acknowledge_ that?" I snapped, my hands fisting briefly on my hips... And then sighed. "I'm sorry, that was poorly done of me. It's this case that's putting me on edge, and I shouldn't take my frustration at it out on you."

"Was that a-?" He blinked, seeming somewhat shocked for a moment. Visibly shook himself, and gestured impatiently at the seat beside him until I sighed again and stamped over. "I can tell about the frustration. Ye ken yer walking a hole in the Koloman's fine carpet, right?"

"They're rich enough to afford another one," I grunted, throwing myself down besides him and pressing my hands over my face. "I just don't _like_ this, Nine-Nails. There are too many mysteries, too much uncertainty. My gut feeling says that something is _wrong_ here, and I have to pay attention to that."

"I ken what you mean," he said, thoughtfully. When I slowly lifted my head he was peering across the room, his expression pensive. "My gut is screaming out at this place too. There are too many questions, and every single time we get some of them answered more pop up in their place. It's like some kind of weird hydra."

I glared at him, but I wasn't entirely serious. I was too busy feeling pleased at an unexpected ally. "Do _not_ tell me that you believe in them too."

"I don't ken, Percy, Minerva Koloman definitely has some nasty secrets..." He let out a bark of laughter at my expression, reached out to clap me on the shoulder. The contact sent an unexpected shockwave of heat through me, left me blinking in shock in the aftermath. "It's a shitty situation, but so far - _so_ far - it's not the shittiest one we've been in. It's confusing, aye. But Benjamin is safe, nobody has shot at us yet and we have each other."

"Wonderful. I have the support of a man who can't stop being fascinated by my absurdly common middle name," I said, trying to sound a touch sour. Instead, I think I simply sounded a little fond "...Nonetheless, I suppose it _could_ be worse."

"That's the spirit, Percy." He grinned, and I was dismayed when a fresh surge of heat moved through me. "That's the spirit."

\--

3.

My uncle was dead. The closest person I'd ever had to a father figure, the one person who'd allowed me to cry in front of them after my mother had died, was _gone_. I had always been prone to black moods, but the fog that descended over me at that knowledge was something else. It was a darkness I couldn't shake, a misery that left me coiled in the farmhouse bed with little desire to do anything else.

"Percy," McGray said, sounding worried, and crouched down beside me. I don't think I've ever seen his face so solemn, he looked at me with a tenderness that I'd long ceased to expect from him. "Percy, come on. Ye have to get up."

"I disagree," I said, mainly into the pillow. I heard McGray's sigh more than I saw it, a surprisingly sympathetic sound. "There seems very little out there of worth at the moment."

"Come on, Percy, _that's_ not true. There's... Birds, and bees. And the autumn sunlight. There's the farmer's breakfast, and the farmer's beer. There's the farmer's pretty daughter, too. Or, ah, handsome son if your tastes tend that way..." He trailed off into an awkward silence. I rolled me head on the pillow, lifted one eye to fix him with a warning glare. "There's me."

"_You_?" That was enough to get me fully lifting my head from the pillow, giving him a look that probably resembled a ruffled owl. "A man who hates me? A man who once punched me in the face, just so he could go tearing off on a mad goose chase? A man who can't even bother to use my actual _name_?"

"I don't hate ye, Fr- Percy," McGray said quietly, after a long pause. And then visibly shook himself, adopted one of his old smug smiles before I could do more than blink at the surprising sincerity on his face. "And ye never were the smartest of lads. If ye can't figure out why I'd be of worth to ye... Well, It's not yer fault. Ye shouldn't feel bad about it, Percy, not all of us can have talents."

I pushed myself up from the bed, the sheets falling down to bare my naked shoulders, and sent him a highly annoyed glare. "Why you-!"

His eyes dipped down for a brief moment, a moment that I couldn't quite understand, and then shot up again with puzzling speed. "D'ye think some breakfast would actually help? Y'know, to give ye support with thinking this _horrifically_ complex idea through?"

"I think me throwing a candlestick at your head would help," I snapped, but without too much venom. I'd finally noticed the lingering concern in his eyes. "But... Maybe. Will it be ready soon, perhaps?"

His eyes lingered on my face for a long moment, softening, and then he slapped his hands on the edge of the bed and rose to his feet. "As soon as ye say the word, Percy."

"_Stop_ calling me that!"

It was only later that I realized that he was, in his own annoying way, trying to distract me from my overwhelming grief. It was only later, far later than I would've liked, that I thought to be grateful for it.

\--

4.

It was also only later that I started to pay attention to his other words, the one that he'd made just before he'd so mercifully annoyed me to the point of distraction.

It was an awkward subject to me, and one that required some privacy. As such I invited myself around to his house on a pretence. Made sure all the servants, _especially_ Joan, were busy elsewhere and locked the door behind me before I sprung the subject on him. "How much do you know?"

"How much do I-?" McGray frowned at me, placed his glass of whisky firmly down on a table. His long fingers traced around the rim before he let go, and I found my eyes lingering on them for a long few moments before I could drag them away. "More than ye'd think, Percy, but probably a bit less than I'd pretend. Are ye feeling quite alright?"

"I'm _fine_, Nine-Nails, not even the slightest bruise on me," I said a touch sharply, and then sighed. I was a touch too worried, a touch too braced against what was to come, to spend too much energy on annoyance. "I meant... Oh, it's probably best just to be clear. How much do you know about my taste for farmer's sons?"

There was a long silence. He finally drew his hand back from the table entirely, stared at me thoughtfully for a long few moments before he spoke again, "ye remember that, then?"

"That is rather _Obvious_, Nine-Nails," I grumbled, the stress of the situation making my voice tight. I bounced on my heels for a long few moments, bit the inside of my cheek and finally convinced myself to get _on_ with it. "My type of darkness is the type where I remember far too much, not the type where I can forget things."

"Ah. Another unfortunate thing we have in common, then." He hesitated for another moment, seeming mildly wary, before he drew in a deep breath and carried on. "I was saying anything I could to get you up out of that bed, Frey. I've been in that position myself, I wouldn't wish it on anybody else. I, uh, apologise if I upset ye and hope that ye won't hold it against me in the future."

"It's alright," I said slowly, watching him with an odd feeling of warmth unfurling in my chest. "I already have far too many things to hold against you already. I'm not sure I have the energy for more."

"Hah! Always ken ye were a lazy sod." He squinted at me for a moment, Rocked slowly on his heels as if he was gathering up the nerve - an interesting thought, since McGray _hardly_ lacked any of that - to carry on. "Can I ask ye something, though?"

"If you must," I said, but was barely able to hold back a faint smile at his teasing.

"Was I right?" He asked brusquely, and flushed unexpectedly as I gave him a faintly incredulous stare. I allowed myself to appreciate it for a few moments more than I should've, before I managed to yank my attention away. "When I joked about it back then, I mean. I wouldn't tell anyone, _certainly_ not any git who could do anything about it, but..."

"I always knew you were a nosy, ah, sod," I interrupted him, genuinely surprised when my tone came out as gentle. I had never expected to have this sort of conversation with him, but now that it was happening I found myself unexpectedly charmed. "You were right, for possibly the first time in your life. I like both men and women, men possibly a little more."

We stared at each other for a long moment, a touch awkwardly. McGray was still flushed, and I was almost certain that I was in exactly the same state.

"I've never told anybody that before," I said, sounding nervous despite myself. "I mean, I suppose my past lovers must've _guessed_ at some point, but... Never in so many words."

"I'm the same way," McGray blurted, and somehow the flush got even brighter on his face. It made him look surprisingly attractive, it became almost impossible to do the sensible thing and drag my eyes away. "Both with the inclinations, and the not telling anyone. Seemed a bit too much effort, if ye know what I mean."

I was both surprised, and strangely gratified. I stared at him for a long moment more, finally allowed myself to appreciate the rugged lines of his face... And smiled, despite myself. "You hating the very idea of communication? What a _shock_."

"Yeah, yeah." He sniffed, rolling his eyes, but there was a grin on his face that seemed irrepressible. "Like yer the master of that yerself, Percy."

"_Really_, Nine-Nails." I sighed, but that didn't interfere with my own smile. I was convinced that I looked like some sort of loon, and even more worryingly couldn't bring myself to care all that much. "It's been half a year. _When_ will you learn my actual name?"

\--

5.

It all came to a head about a month later, when we were _supposed_ to be staking out a suspect.

"Percy-"

"It's been seven months now, Nine-Nails," I snapped, the cold and the darkness driving me to an even higher level of grumpiness. I shoved my hands into the pockets of my coat, and sent him what I hoped was a truly intimidating glare. "Why? _Why_ do you persist in calling me Percy no matter how much time passes?"

He watched me for a moment, with a lingering smirk. My eyes lingered on it for far longer than they should've, but that time I didn't force myself to pull them away. "Confused by the simple things again, _Percy_? It's yer middle name, I think the reason would be obvious."

"Nine-Nails, _please_. I asked you a simple question." An idea occurred to me, and I turned my glare into what I hoped was a piercing glance. "And for that matter, why all the nicknames in the first place? Do you still not know my actual name, even after how long we've known each other?"

"I've learnt it. I have a better memory than ye, y'know." McGray hesitated for a long moment, shoving his own hands deep into the pockets of his trousers. I thought that he wasn't going to answer at all, so when his voice came again it was a surprise. "At first I started giving ye nicknames because ye obviously hated it, and it was a bit of brightness in my life to see ye getting het up about it."

"You..." I stared at him, even more surprised to find a strange feeling of hope rising up in my chest. "You say that like it's changed."

"It has," McGray answered quite simply, shooting a look at me that made my mouth go dry. "I still enjoy annoying ye, don't get me wrong, but... Now I call ye nicknames because I like giving people I, er, _care for_, nicknames."

I stared at him, mute. The hope pounded in my chest like a wild thing, made me feel ridiculously like I could sing and fly and backflip like some fool.

"That's why I started calling ye Percy. Why I've kept calling ye Percy, for all these months." McGray sighed, kept looking at me only with obvious effort. There was much the same hope in his eyes, a ferocious look that couldn't be denied. "I still wanted ye to have a nickname, but it seemed nicer than all the other ones that I'd been using. And... I wanted to be nice to ye."

"McGray..." I trailed off, considered that for a long second. Considered the hope in my chest, the answering feeling in McGray's eyes. Considered all the times I'd found my eyes lingering on his blushes or his fingers or the way his shoulders looked within his suit.

It was no decision at all, really. I lunged forwards, and sealed my mouth over his.

He was startled at first, he'd probably been expecting me to shout at him instead, but he proved as quick a learner as he ever was. He caught me up against his body, and ravaged my mouth with an enthusiasm that left me breathless. Our lips moulded together seamlessly, our tongues tangled and I even felt his teeth graze against my lower lip. We ended up pinned against the wall of the alleyway, wrapped up in each other so surely that it was like we'd never differed.

"_Percy_." McGray was the first one to draw back, with quite some effort. He stared down at me for a moment, glassy eyed, and then lifted one hand to his bruised lips as if he couldn't quite believe it. "Jesus. Who ken ye had a little wildcat blood in ye?"

"It's on my mother's side. I would've told you if you'd thought to _ask_," I said primly, and couldn't hold back a grin as he gave me the kind of smile that made me want to open my legs for him here and now. "Whose house is closest, do you think?"

"...Yours," he offered eventually, still so obviously stunned that I could actually see the calculations crossing his face. It made no difference to how handsome he was, he had the kind of face that was so subtly gorgeous that it astonished me that I'd never realized it before. "Lead the way, Percy."

\--

+1.

"Percy," McGray groaned into my mouth, and rolled off me in one incredibly uncoordinated movement. I gasped as his weight left me, briefly closed my eyes and tilted my head back as I revelled in the ache of muscles long unused. "I repeat: _jesus_. If I'd known ye had this in ye I would've chained ye to my bed the moment I met ye."

"And then I would've had you arrested for kidnapping," I informed him, and indulged in an incredibly satisfied stretch. It didn't escape me, how his eyes trailed appreciatively across my body as I did so. "Be sensible, McGray. The long way around has _far_ more benefits."

"I guess ye may be right." He watched me for another second, a possessive glint in his eyes, and tapped his fingers against his own thigh. It was almost as if he was steeling himself not to touch, and distract us both all over again. "Tell me something, Percy."

"Mm?"

"Do ye really mind the nickname?" He asked bluntly, that bright flush rising up on his cheeks again. From my current vantage position I could see that it wasn't just limited to his face, but instead spread down his neck and over his chest. "I mean, I'm still gonna call ye _some_ sort of nickname and I'm still going to annoy ye as much as possible. But... If ye really want something else, ye only have to say the word."

"Is that actual concern, Nine-Nails?" I asked, and pushed myself up to my elbows only with severe effort. "You sleep with me once, and you suddenly learn _manners_? I take my earlier words back. Maybe we really should've done this sooner if such a miracle is the result."

"Ach, Per- _Frey_." McGray rolled his eyes, but fondly. The way he looked at me sent something infinitely softer than glee burning in my chest. "If ye don't know how much I care for ye by now, there really is no hope for ye."

"Careful," I said teasingly.

...And thought, actually thought, about all the times McGray had called me Percy. About how he'd gasped it into my ear midway through proceedings, how he'd said it breathlessly just after I'd kissed him for the first time, how he'd grumbled it fondly as we'd stood in that dark alley only caring for each other. Thought of all the times he'd said it before that, teasing and serious and mocking and genuine and a thousand other ways besides. Thought of how McGray cared for me, reluctantly at times but sincerely nonetheless.

Good lord, I was head over heels in love with him. And I was an idiot, that I'd never come close to noticing that before.

"Per- Frey?" McGray asked warily, still tapping his fingers on his leg and watching me with the same tender desperation that he'd been watching me with for the past few months. "Well?"

I looked him straight in the eye, unable and unwilling to stop myself from smiling, and slowly inclined my head. It felt strange, to be so vulnerable in front of another person. It felt right, in a way absolute and wonderful. "I can get used to it, I suppose. If given _proper_ incentive."

His grin, as he pushed me back to the bed and joined our mouths together again, was better than all of the Percys combined.


End file.
